Pelt dehairing machine



June 9, 1931. R. H. PLASS FELT DEHAIRING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13; 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l W m 2%, f w M June 9, 1931. PLASS FELT DBHAIRINGMACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I L ----:l I

l-II I 'INVENTORQ fiaiar/ [7 P125:

A TTORNE Y.

June 9, 1931.

R. H. PLASS FELT DEHAIRING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 13, 1929 IN VEN TOR. BY fiaar/ /2//0JJ ATTORNEY:

June 9, 1931. R p ss 7 1,808,787

FELT DEHAIRING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fyf INVENTOR. flow/f /7 Am? BY 3 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 9, 1931 v UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE) ROBERT H. PLASS, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAPAL DON NER CORPORATION OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIONOF NEWJERSEY ram DEHAIRING MACHINE" Applicationfiled December 13, 1929. Serial .N'ol 418,836.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for removing hair or fur from animal skins or pelts; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to novel pelt dehairing mechanism possessing means to so control the movement of the severed hair or fur that waste is reduced to a minimum, and whereby the hair or fur is efficiently separated from skin cuts or slivers. c

This invention has for its principal object to provide, in a machine of the kind described, a novel construction and arrangement of rotatable cutting-cylinder or drum cooperative with a stationary cutter-blade, together with novel means for feeding the pelt or skin to such cutting mechanism.

"This invention has for a further object to provide adjacent to the cutting point of the machine a novel vibratory rotatable comb device adapted to engage the severed hair' orfur and quickly deliver the same outward and away from the cutting mechanism in condition free from skin cuts or? slivers. 7

Other objects of this invention, not at this time moreparticularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying draw- 7 ings, in which Fig, 1 is a side elevation ofthe dehairing machine, with parts broken away and other parts in section; Fig. 2 is-a top or plan view of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 33 in Fig. 2, s'howing the drive for the vibratory rotatable combdevice, and the feed roller control means;'Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sect1on,taken on line 1-4 in Fig. 2; Fig. 5is a further enlarged sectional view illuStrating'the-funa tion of the comb device; and Fig. 6 isa perspective of parts of one form' of comb roll. v 1

Similar characters of reference are employed in all the above-described views, to indicate corresponding parts. Referring now to said drawings,'the' reference character 10 indicates a vcutting cylin- Mounted on the novel der or drum, the shaft 10 of which is jour- 1 naledin bearings 11 supported on' the framework 12 of the machine. Suitablysecured to the cutting cylinder or drum are a plurality of radial and preferably longitudinal oblique shear blades 13. (Secured-to the machine frame, so as to ex tend overand enclose the upper forward side of the .cut-

ting cylinder or drum 11, is a bed-knife frame 14 to which is suitably and adjust-' ably secured a stationary or bed-knife '15.

Said bed-knife15'is mounted with itscut i stantially parallel-to the axis oflsaid cutting cylinder or drum 11, so that the shear of the cutter mechanism, areffixed side plates 16. Journaled in and extending between said side plates '16 is a shaft 17 Pivoted on said shaft'17 are lever members18,-which respectively lie adjacent to'theinner faces of the side plates 16. A feed roller 19 extends be'r tween the inner ends of said lever members '18, the-journals 20 of said'roller being rotatably engaged through bearing openings provided in said lever members 18. As thus supported, said feed roller is located in front of and closely adjacent to of the cutting mechanism.

. Pivotally mounted on said shaft 17, to lie side by side throughout the spacebetween the cutting point said lever members 18,-are aplurality of :pelt' ting edge downward, and is'disposed sub- 4 frame-work 12, forwardly l supporting members 21, which together pro-V vide a feed table over which peltsvmay be fed to the cutting point offithe machine.

Each supporting member 21 terminatesat its inner'end in a curved guide portion22 which is opposed to a'ndfwhich substantially conforms to the under surface contour of 'feed roller 19. Each supporting member '21 is normally positioned, with its guide portion 22 slightly spaced from the surface, of said feed roller 19, by engagement of a tail-piece 23 thereof with a stop-ledge 24.secured to and betwcen theside plates 16.- Said supporting members are yieldably biased to. such ILQrmaI ,p sitlonsbypull springs 25, adapted I to exert downwardly swinging tension on the outer or tail ends thereof. Said sup porting members 21 serve to guide a pelt, fed toward the cutting point of the machine, to, under and into propelled engagement by said feed roller 19. Since, however, each supporting member 21 is individually yield sable, some one or more of the same will yield to'the passageof burrs, excre'scences or the like occurring in the pelt at'any given,

point, Without disturbing the function of the.

remaining supporting members 'in'pressi'n'g the pelt into propelled engagement with said feed roller 19, and-consequently suchimperfections in the pelt will not interfere with oriobstruct in any way the desired steady,

uniform. and smooth'movement of the pelt to the cutting pointof the machine.

Secured to the front faceofthe stationary or bed knife 15, to extend'intermediate the lower margin of the same, and the normally positioned feed roller 19, is a feller or doctor'piece 26, which serves to lead the pelt,

as fed forward said feed roller 19, from the latter to and over the cutting edge of said stationary or bed knife 15.

r 7 Means are provided,-under control of the operator of the machine, for selectively disposing the feed roller in service or outof-service'position, i. e.' in pelt feeding or pelt releasing position; [This means comprises a fulcrum shaft 27, journaled in and extending between said side plates. 16,]with the respective ends projecting exteriorly be extend through slots 31 provided in the side plates 16so as toengage in slotted openings 32 with which the inner ends of said lever members 28 are provided, thus operatively interconnecting said lever members 28 j with lever members 18. 7 Pi'votally'niounted on fulerums 33 in front of themachine is leverage platform 34, the forward endjof which is interconnected with the outer ends of sa d levermembers' 28 by links 35*. Forward stop blocks 36 and rearward stop 7 blocks 37 'operate ,to limit the oscillatory movements of said leverage platform 34.

In 'the use of the machine,"the' operator stands on the leverage platform 34," and I when desirous of introducing apeltbeneath thefeed roller-19, preparatory to feeding such pelt to the cutting point of thefmachine, steps back onthe leverage platform 34 so as to apply weight'to the'outer end thereof, wherebythe inner end of leverage platform 34 is' up-swung. This movement of the leverage platform" is transmitted to the outer endsoflevermembers 28-, which outer sequent downward movement of the inner ends thereof. Through the coupling con nections between lever members 28 and 18, the downward movement of the inner ends of the former produces an accompanying downward 'movement of the outer ends of the latter, whereby the inner ends thereof are up-swung, thus raising the feed roller 19 away from the yieldable supportingmemhere 21 so that the leading end of the pelt may be introduced between such parts. When the pelt isthus introduced, the operator steps forward on the leverage platform so as, to apply weight to the inner end there of, with consequentv reversal of the above described lever movements,whereby the feed roller is lowered into the pelt gripping relationto supporting members 21 and thereupon progressively fed forward, fur side down,- to the cutting mechanism. Stop screws '38 are adjustably mounted in the side plates 16 to enterthe-s'lots 31,so asto'engage the extensions 30, thus limiting the movement of the gripping roller 19 to desired pelt grippingfrelation to the support ing members 21;

power transmission meansmay be provided for applying operating power to the cutting Any suitable form and arrangement of cylinder or drum l0 and to the feed-roller 1 9. Illustrative of one form and arrangement of power transm sslon means, the shaft 10 of the cutting'cylinder or drum 1O is shown provided with a drive pulley 39,,ove'r which runs a drive belt 40 actuated froinany desired source of power, Journaled, in bearings '41, connected with the framework 12 of the machine, is a counter shaft '42,. actuated from said shaft 10- by a beltand pulley, drive 48 or equivalent interconnecting transmission. Fixed on one of the side plates 16, to project exteriorly therefrom, is a stub shaft or journal 44, on which is rotatablymounted a hollow shaft or sleeve 45. Fixed on the outer end of said hollow shaft or sleeve 45 is a pulleygwheel 46, 0ver which runs a drive belt 47, driven by a pulley wheel 48 fixed on and rotated by said coun ter shaft 42. :F ixed onthe inner end of said hollow shaft or sleeve 45 .is a spur gear 49. Mounted on a projecting end ofthe pivot shaft 17 V of said lever members 18, is a 1101- low shaft or sleeve 50, on" the outer portion fof which is fixed a gear wheel 51, which meshes with and is driven by said spur gear 49. Fixed on theinner portion of said hollow shaft or sleeve 50jis a gear 52, which gear 52 meshes with and drives an idler gear 5 I v 53 journaled on a stub-shaft ,54' carried the adjacent lever member18. Fixed on the "shaft or journalof said feed roller 19 is agear 55 which meshes with and is driven by said idler gear 53. It will thus be ohi vious that operating powermay be constantp l y applied to said feed roller 19,:without in- 'terfering with the free movement thereof part by the bed-knife frame 14 and in part by a hood member 56, and below the cutting point by any suitable partition means 57, adapted to leave space giving access to the cutting point for pelts delivered thereto by the feeding mechanism. The cutting cylinder ordrum lO is thus arranged to revolve in a chamber 58 which'is open at its rearward underside to communicate with a drop-well or discharge passage 59. Leading laterally from the drop-well or discharge passage 59, beneath the chamber is a fur conveyer passage 60 andconduit 60.

- In the operation of the machine, the rotation of the cutting cylinder or drum, at its forward face and relative to the cutting point thereof, is upward. The revolution of the cutting blades 13 produces a centrifugal air current within the chamber 58 in the direction of motion of the cutting cylinder or drum. As slivers of hide or skin are cut from the pelt, while severing the hair or fur from the latter, the same are carried around the chamber 58 by'the centrifugal air current, and discharged into the drop-well or passage 59, andbeing-relatively heavy will gravitate through the latter.

- One of the most important features of this invention relates to the provision of a novel construction and arrangement'of means for rapidly and efiiciently removing the hair or fur severed from the pelts by the cutting operation, and delivering'the. same from the cutting point of the machine substantially free from slivers of skin or hide, and with minimum of waste or loss of severed hair or fur. This means comprises a comb device located adjacent to the cutting point of the machine, and adapted to quickly and" em- 'ciently outwardly withdraw the severed hair or fur from the cutting point cf ithe mai chine) The comb device is preferably made in the form of a roller 61 having rows of radial teeth 61 projecting therefrom, the same being mounted adjacent to and beneath the bed-knife 15 and as close to the path of movement of the cutting blades 13 as possible, while nevertheless clearing the latter.

Preferably said comb roller 60is mounted for oscillatory or vibratory hodily movement toward and from the fur side of apelt "undergoing the cutting operation. To this end carrying arms 61 are pivotally connected on the shaft 17 to extend forward at each side of the machine toward the cutting point. The comb roller 60 is journaled in and extends between the free ends of said carrying arms 62. V Journaled in and being action,

.point- "established tween the sideplates 16' below. the cutting point of the. machine," is a crank shaft 63 having eccentric crank portions 6 f. pMounted on said crank portions 64 are eccentric arms. 65, the upper free ends ofwhichare pivotally connected with earsl62 of the carrier arm 62. c I

Said crank-shaft 63 is driven by suitable power transmissionmeans, as, for example,

by a pulley 66 over. which runs acrossed belt driven from a pulley 68 fixed on said counter-shaft 4C2. is driven from said crank-shaft '63 by a sprocket and chain drive 69, so thatthe same is rotated in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5. i i

In operation, as the pelt is fed from be neath the feed roller 19 and advanced across the edge of the belt-knife 15, the fur or hair will be laid back alongthe underside of the Said comb roller 60 so a pelt, exposing the .bascs of the filaments" thereof to the cuttingflaction of the blades 18 of thecutting cylinder or drum'10. As a blade" 13 passes the bed-knife 15 a sliver of hide or skin will be cut away from the pelt, at the same time severing the hair or fur filaments from such sliver. The sliver winne carried around in the centrifugal air current within the chamber 58 and finally cast down into the drop well or passage 59.

The'severed' hair or fur filaments ,will be combed back bythe rotating comb roller 62, and willbe thus separated from the filamentslstill attached to the pelt by the combbeing at the same timeuthrust outwardly to fall on a collecting chute 70, down which'the same may slide to any suitable receptacle (notshown) placed-for the reception thereof. The vibratory or oscillatory movement of the comb roller, not

only prevents any tendency'of mass choking of hair or fur filaments between the pelt and comb roller, but also tends to permit a tangled interlacing of the severedchair or fur filaments so as to form a more or less loose batting of the discharged hair or fur mass.

()wmg to the fact "that the movement of the cutting blades 13 of the cylinder or drum 10 is, upwards toward the cutting by the bed-knife 15, with accompanying air current movementinthe same direction, there is a tendency of air to pass outward beneath the bed-knife 15 and toward the comb roll 62. This out-L wardly moving air aids in directing. the

severed hair or fur filaments outwardly 1 from the machine and .into engagement with the 'comb roller. A vertically adjustable plate"!- 1, may be fixed across the opening established at the cuttingpoint of the machine, to more. or less govern the j volume ofuair out-passing at such point.v

'It is preferable to-provide. an up-passing .light air current within the drop. ,well. or e passage 59,.whereby any severed hair or in the upper end of the drop-well orcp assage 59, will thereupon meet the rising air current so asto be floated out through the conduit 61, and, thus recovered so as to further reduce waste'orloss of hair or'fur filaments. The rising air current in the dropwell or. passage 59 is maintained mild enough in character to avoid; interfering with gravitation of the hide or skin slivers,"

through the drop-well or passage 59, and consequently a separation and recovery of stray hair and fur filaments from slivers is thereby attained.

'From the above description, it will be apparent that this invention provides a simple and yet eflicient dehairing machine, calculated to operate with minimum loss of severed hair or fur filaments.

I am aware that many changes could be made in the above" described mechanisms making up the novel dehai ing machine as well as in the details of the construction thereof, without departing from the scope of this invention, and therefore it is intended that all matter contained in the above de scription or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim V 1. In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, means .to feed pelts to said cutting mechanism, and amovable comb means adjacentthe cutting mechanism operative to sweep outwardly and away from --the'cutting inechanism and a pelt fed thereto hair or fur filaments severed from the latter. r

2. In a machine of the kind'described, a cutting mechanism, means 'to'feed pelts to said cutting mechanism, and a rotatable comb-rollerhaving radial teeth projecting from its surface,said comb-roller being dis,- posed adjacent to the cutting mechanism and operative to sweep outwardly and away therefrom and from a pelt hair or fur filaments severed from the latter.

3. In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, means to feed pelts to vsaid cutting mechanism, a rotatable combrolle'r having radial teeth projecting from its surface, said comb-roller be ng disposed adjacent to the cutting mechanism and operative to sweepoutwardly and away therefrom and froma pelt hair or fur filaments severed from the latter, and means for producing oscillatory bodily movement of said comb-roller toward and away from said pelt. V

4. In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller in front of said cutting mechanism, means to 'drive said feed roller, and a series of supporting fingers having their forwardends underlying and biased toward said feed roller, said fingers being arranged side by side to provide a peltv supporting surface substantially coextensive with the extent of.

said feed roller, and means to positively limit the movement ofsaid fingers toward said feed roller. 1

5. In a machine of the kind described, a i cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller by side to provide a pelt supporting surface substantially coextensive with the extent; of

said feed roller,.means to positively limit the movement of said fingers toward said feed roller and means toselectively move said feed roller to in-service or out-ofservice relation to said fingers. i

6. In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller in front of said cutting mechanism, means to drive said feed roller, and a series of independently yieldable pelt guiding and supporting fingers having their forward ends underlying and biased toward said feed rolin front of said cutting mechanism, means ler, said fingers being arrangedside by side to provide a pelt supporting surface substantially coextensive with the extent of said feed" roller, means tov positively limit the movement of said fingers toward saidfeed roller and means to selectively: move said. feed roller to in-service or out-of-service? relation to said fingers, said means comprising a leverage system by which said feed roller is supported, the same being subject to actuation by applied weight of the 0perator positioned in front of the machine.

7, In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller in front of'said cutting mechanism, means to drivesaid feed roller, a-series of independently yieldable pelt guiding and supporting fingers opposed to said feed roller, and a movable comb means intermediate said cutting mechanism and said fingers and opposed to a pelt fed to said cutting mechan- I ism so as to sweep outwardly and away from said cutting mechanism and pelt hair or fur filaments severed from the latter.

8. In a machine ofthe kind described, a cutting mechanism,a rotatable feed roller in front of said cutting mechanism, means to drive said feed roller, aseries of independently yieldable pelt guiding and supporting fingers opposed to said feed roller, a

movable comb means intermediate said ou ting mechanism and said fingers and" opposed to a pelt fed to said cutting'mecha nism so as to sweepoutwardly, andaway from said cutting mechanism and pelt hair or fur filaments severed from the latter, and a leverage system by which said feed roller is supported, said leverage system being subject to actuation by applied weight of the operator positioned in front of the machine to selectively move said feed roller to inservice or out-of-service relation to said fingers.

9. In a machine-of the kind described, a. cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller in front of said cutting mechanism, means to drive said feed roller, a series of independently yieldable pelt guiding and supporting fingers opposed to said feed roller, a rotatable comb-roller having radial teeth projecting from its surface, and means for producing oscillatory bodily movement of. said comb-roller toward and away from said pelt.

10. In a machine of the kind described, a cutting mechanism, a rotatable feed roller in front of said cutting mechanism, means to drive said feed roller, a series of independently yieldable pelt guiding and sup porting fingers opposed to said feed roller,

a rotatable comb-roller having radial teeth projecting from its surface, means for pro ducing oscillatory bodily movement of said comb-roller toward and away from said pelt, and a leverage system by which said feed roller is supported, said leverage system being subject to actuation by applied weight of the operator positioned in front of the machine to selectively move said feed roller to in-service or out-of-service relation to said fingers.

11. In a machine of the kind described, a rotatable cutting cylinder having radial shear-blades, a stationary knife having a cutting edge at its lower margin, said cutting cylinder being rotatable. in a direction adapted to carry its shear blades upwardly relative to and in contact with said stationary knife cutting edge, means to feed pelts beneath the stationary knife cutting edge, and a movable comb means-adjacently below said stationary knife cutting edge operative to sweep outwardly and away therefrom and from a pelt fed thereto hair or fur filaments severed from the latter.

12. In a machine of the kind described,

a rotatable cutting cylinder having radial shear-blades, a stationary knife having cutting mechanism 'lIlCllldlIlg a rotatable cutting edge, at its lower margin, said cutting cylinder being rotatable in a direc- ,tion adapted to carry its shear blades upwardly relative to and in contact with said stationary knife cutting edge, means to feed pelts beneath the stationary knife cutting edge, and a movable comb means adj acently below said stationary knife cuttin edge operative to sweep outwardly and away therefrom and from a pelt fed thereto hair or fur filaments severed from the latter, said latter means icomprising .a rotatable comb roller having" a multiplicity ofrad-ial teeth,

means to drive said combroller, and means for producing oscillatory bodily movement of said comb roller .towardand away ,from

said pelt.

.13. mania or as); kindnasal,

a rotatable cutting ,cylindenhaving radial] shear-blades, a .stat1onary 1kn1fe having-a cutting edge its lower margin, said cutting cylinder being. rotatable in a dlI'GC:

' tionadapted tocarry its shear-blades up- 'a series of independently yieldable pelt guiding and supporting fingers underlying said feed roller, a rotatable comb roller 'having a multiplicity of radial teeth mounted adjacently below said stationary knlfe cutting edge, means to drlvesaid comb roller, and means for producing oscillatory bodily movement of said comb roller toward and away from a pelt moved by said feed roller to said stationary knife cutting edge. 14. In a machine of the kind described as defined in claim 13, including a leverage system by which said feed roller is supported, said leverage system being subject to actuation by appl'iedweight of the operator positioned in front of the machine to selectively move said feed roller to .in

service or out-of-service relation to said yieldable pelt guiding fingers of the machine.

15. In a machine of the kind described,

and supporting ,a cutting mechanism including a rotatable cutting cylinder and a stationary knife cooperative therewith, means to feedpelts to said cutting mechanism, a movable comb means adjacent to said cutting mechanism operative to sweep outwardly and away.

from the cutting mechanism and a pelt fed thereto hair or fur filaments severed from the latter, means to enclose said cutting cylinder beyond the cutting point thereof to form an air circulation chamber through which pelt slivers are moved by air currents induced by movement of said cutting. cylinder, and a drop well communicatingwith,

said chamber to receive pelt slivers discharged therefrom."

16. In a machine of the kind described, a

cutting cylinder and a stationary knife 00- operative therewith, means to feed pelts to said cutting mechanism, a movable comb means ad acent to said cutting mechanism operative to sweep outwardly and away thereto hair or fur filaments severed from the latter, means to enclose'said cutting cylinder beyond the cutting point thereof to form an air circulation chamber through which pelt slivers ware moved byv air cur rents'indu'cedb y movement of said cuttin 1 cylinder, a; drop-Well communicating wit said chamber to receive pelt slivers discharged therefrom, and a branching conduit leading from upper p'ortion of said drop' well to discharge a comparatively light air'current directed upwardly through said "drop-Well to thereby separate and carry away any hair or fur filaments accompany- 7 ing said pelt slivers into said drop-well.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of December, 1929.

' ROBERT H. PLASS. 

